Television receivers are controlled by digital devices, often referred to as set top boxes (STBs), which receive and process transmissions from broadcasters. The user has a control device, often a remote control device, to control the set top box, and hence the television receiver. Together these elements provide a system for receiving and accessing broadcast programming.
With a set top box, it is common to provide a smart card, known as a viewing card, which is issued to an authorised user of various services. The smart card has to be inserted into the set top box to enable access to some, or all of the programming. For example, the smart card may be required to enable access to services only available by subscription, and/or to pay per view individual programs. A processing unit in the set top box will read information from the viewing card to enable access to services. The viewing card may, for example, identify a subscriber account, and if the appropriate payments have been made to that subscriber account, access is enabled. Generally, subscription payments have to be made monthly.
It is also known to pair the viewing card with a particular set top box. Thus, on installation of a set top box at the home of an authorised subscriber, details from the subscriber's viewing card are stored in the set top box. Thereafter, the set top box will only allow the television receiver to access some, or all, programming if the paired viewing card is in place in the set top box.
It is also known to provide within the set top box, or separately, a hard disc drive on which received broadcast programming can be recorded and stored for later viewing.